Nine years ago the Rockets passed on drafting former Alief Elsik star Rashard Lewis during the 1998 draft. Nine years ago the Rockets passed on drafting former Alief Elsik star Rashard Lewis during the 1998 draft. Fast forward to 2007 and these same Houston Rockets, under different management, are going to do everthing they can to land the small forward who is the top free agent on the market.

Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey telling FOX 26 Sports tonight Lewis is the club's number one target as free agency in the NBA began Saturday night at 11:01pm.

"We are going after Rashard. We think he is the best guy out there. The best free agent around. We are in the process of contacting him to let him know of our interest," Morey said.

Morey knows the Rockets are financially challenged in the sweepstakes to land Lewis, who has played nine years for the Sonics and is also Seattle's number one target. The Sonics can offer a six year contract for the league maximum at an estimated $15 million per season.

Since the Rockets can only offer the mid-level exception, beginning somewhere north of $5 million, other avenues must be explored.

"It has to be through sign and trade. We really want him. We think he would be a significant player for us. Rashard would have to be motivated to come," Morey said.

Morey did not comment on the other free agents the Rockets are contacting Saturday night but NBA sources tell FOX 26 Sports the Rockets have targeted six other players. The list includes forward Joe Smith who split time last year with the Nuggets and 76ers, forward Alan Henderson who played last year in Philadelphia, Forward Malik Allen who has played the last two years with the Bulls, forward Melvin Ely who split time last

year with the Bobcats and Spurs, and restricted free agent forward Amir Johnson who has played for the Pistons for two years.

League sources tell FOX the Rockets are also expressing interest in forward P.J. Brown who spent last season with the Bulls. However, there is speculation he may retire.

The Rockets are casting a wide net as they attempt to fill holes in the roster.

Amir Johnson, Joe Smith, Alan Henderson, Malik Allen, Melvin Ely come on rockets yall can do much better than that. The only guy I won't mind is P.J. Brown, a good locker room guy and solid contributer. It would of been easier if to draft Glen Davis and have a guy who can improve.

y are we wasting our time pursuing Rashard when we know good and well we aight gonna get him. I say we sign Joe Smith or P.J. Brown and call it a day.

Wow. So who is our third scorer? Bonzi? James? I'm not saying either of them can't fill that role, but they both had bad seasons this past season. So we should not try to go after the best free agent on the market, that happens to live in freakin' Houston and may actually want to play here. Come on now. It's one thing to not get him, it's a totally different thing to not try.

Do we let him string us along for a month and a half? No, definitely not if it looks as if he is stringing us along for the heck of it and looks to be going to Orlando or Seattle.

Wow. So who is our third scorer? Bonzi? James? I'm not saying either of them can't fill that role, but they both had bad seasons this past season. So we should not try to go after the best free agent on the market, that happens to live in freakin' Houston and may actually want to play here. Come on now. It's one thing to not get him, it's a totally different thing to not try.

Do we let him string us along for a month and a half? No, definitely not if it looks as if he is stringing us along for the heck of it and looks to be going to Orlando or Seattle.

Realistically, who do we have anything that will attract the sonics other than yao and t-mac. We have no promising youth other than maybe head. Maybe we could make a deal including Battier, rafer alston, bob sura, and 2 to 3 future 1st round picks. I am not saying I wouldn't mind having Lewis but we dont have alot of valuble commodities.

talk about overpaying for a player who is nowhere near a franchise player.

he has just never had the oppurtunity to be a franchise player, he is always been in another players shadow. It also doesn't help that he playED in seattle of all places. I think he will make a name for himself in Orlando. I predict he be scoring 25 or 26 ppg now that ray allen is out of his way and become a all-star in the east.